Exxon intends to produce crude from its deepwater finds offshore Guyana onto floating production storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs). According to the US oil major, the company has had 18 discoveries thus far and has the potential to use five FPSOs when the fields are brought on stream.
At present, Exxon has one FPSO in service in Guyana, the Liza Destiny. The Liza Destiny was developed by SBM Offshore and is designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day, with storage capacity of up to 1.6 million barrels.
SBM Offshore has also been contracted to complete the FPSO Liza Unity and the Liza Prosperity. SBM provided project updates on these FPSO builds in their quarterly trading review.
According to SBM, the Liza Destiny is undergoing commissioning work on the natural gas injection system and is progressing with the main gas compressors. The Liza Destiny is already in place in Guyana and producing crude.
SBM has stated that the FPSO Liza Unity has undocked and has commenced the integration phase. The mooring and riser system integration, as well as other work scopes, were completed in dry dock at Keppel FELS. The Fast4WardR Multi-Purpose Floater (MPF) hull has now moved to the integration quayside in Keppel TUAS, where the topsides integration phase started with the progressive lifting of the topsides modules, according to SBM. This phase will facilitate gradual preparation of the FPSO for the start of the onshore commissioning activities, leading up to the final quayside departure.
The vessel is currently being built in Singapore.
It is anticipated that the vessel will be in location in Guyana next year and will start up in 2022.
The third FPSO is the Prosperity. It was announced in October that SBM landed the contract for a third FPSO. Under these contracts, SBM Offshore will construct, install and then lease and operate the Prosperity FPSO for a period of up to two years, after which the FPSO ownership and operation will transfer to Esso Exploration (Exxon’s affiliate). The award follows the completion of front-end engineering and design studies, completion of the multi-purpose hull, receipt of requisite government approvals and the final investment decision on the project by ExxonMobil and block co-venturers.
The Prosperity will serve the recently approved Payara project offshore Guyana.
The Prosperity FPSO will utilise a design that largely replicates the design of the Liza Unity FPSO. As such, the design is based on SBM Offshore’s industry-leading Fast4WardR programme that incorporates the Company’s new build, multi-purpose hull combined with several standardised topsides modules. The FPSO will be designed to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. The FPSO will be spread moored in water depth of about 1,900 metres and will be able to store around 2 million barrels of crude oil.
SBM Offshore also anticipates the award of contracts to Guyanese companies for work to be performed in Guyana. For example, the Company is looking at executing scope for the fabrication and coating of a portion of the light structural steel for the FPSO in Guyana, which would be a first for SBM Offshore in the country. Additionally, SBM Offshore is preparing to recruit and employ Guyanese engineers in the Payara project team. Both activities are focused on development of Guyanese capacity, building on efforts to date for the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity FPSOs.
According to SBM the Prosperity project team is preparing for the start of fabrication in Singapore.
